Tester



W. P. CGK.

TESTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1921.

Patented my ma 192g A www@ marea sraras WILLIAM PEDRICK COOK, OF LARAMIE, WYOMING'.

TESTER.

Lezama.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patnted July ll ll, 1922.

Application filed YMarch 8, 1,921. Serial No. 450,611.

To @ZZ whom@ may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. Coon, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Laramie, in the county of Albany and State of Wyoming, have invented a new and lmproved Tester, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a tester, and aims to provide a device of this nature which will serve to'indicate the proper operation of the circuit together with the quality of spark produced by means of the plug associated with said circuit] Although my invention is not limited to this particular adaption, itis primarily Vintended for use in connection with the testing of spark plugs, such as are used in internal combustion engines.

ylt iswell appreciated in internal combustion engines, that considerable diiiiculty is experienced in that it is noted that explosions are being missed. It is then lincumbent upon the operator of the vehicle, or other person testing the same to short-circuit each of the spark plugs. Upon short-'circuiting that plug associated with the cylinder which is missing, no spark will result, and the person forming this test will immediately'know that this is the cylinder which is Operating in a faulty manner. f

It has also been customary to utilize a metallic body, and to ground one end of the same, and to bring the lopposite end into proximity ofthe central terminal of each of the spark plugs. A spark'will then be perceptible between the end ofthe'metallic ob-v ject, and the central electrode, as' the current will ground in this manner, due to the fact that the'same will follow the path of least resistance. f

V-This is at best a very poor way of testing the fiow of the current, in that the person testing the saine is oftentimes yshocked and due to the faults of a manual performance of this nature, it is impossible to determine with any degree of accuracy, the quality ofthe spark produced.

` With 'thislin view, devices have been placed upon the market',- which'devices embodied a pair of leadscontacting withthe ground, and a'central electrode respectively,the inner ends of these leads terminating in a gap.

Upon the application of a device of this nature in the manner specified, the current bridged the gap and so an operator was capalble'ofprimarily determining which cylinder was missing, and secondly as yto whether the current was fiowing as far as the central electrode.

However, no construction was embodied to permit of a testing of lthe quality of the spark, i. e. as'to whether the same was nor- Inally hot or leanf Incident to this fault of prior devices, it was impossible for an operator to determine as to whether the plugs might contain defective insulating material, as to whether the coil was faulty,`and finally as to Whether the blame was to be placed upon the condition of the plugs, such as the gap being too wide, small, or the points thereof dirty.

With this in View, I have constructed a tester which shall primarily be capable of not alone determining as to whether current is iiowing into the central terminal of a spark plug, but which lwill also indicate the quality of the spark produced, so that the operator may actually determine the condition of the parts of the ignition system.

A further object of my invention 'is the construction of a tester which shall be in the nature of an accessory,v and shall be eX- tremely simple in construction, aside from the fact that the same,`shall embody qualities permitting of its use by an inexperienced person.

' Further objects of my invention will appear in the annexed specification and draw ings, which latter present practical embodiments of my invention, and in which- Figure l is a side view of a tester con structed 'in accordance with my conception, and showing the same in applied position. Figure 2 is a sectional plane View taken along the lines 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4C is a side view of a slightly diff-erentfform of tester than that illustrated in Figure l, andl i Figure 5 is a sectional end view along the line `5 5 of Figure 4.

In these views the reference numeral l() indicates the base plate, preferably of bre,

or other suitable insulating material, and, in the forms illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, is provided With a longitudinally extending groove 11, forming a track for a slide 12, mounted Within said groove.

The slide 12 is also providedV of. material similar to that of the base plate 10, so that no fear of current conductivity may be felt. A stop plate 13 may be fixed to the base plate 10, adjacent one end ofthe groove 11, and thus prevent any removal ofthe slide 12 from this end of the base plate, and it Will be seen in the manner indicated in Figurel, that the base plate may be gripped by the vhand and the thumb brought to bear upon the slide 12, to project r retract the same Within the groovell for a purpose hereinafter more fully specified.

In this connection it is to be noted that the slide 12y may be provided With a series of openings or depressionsy 14 which will serve to provide a grip for the thumb so that the action aforespecified may be readily accomplished.

.It is also to be noted that a pair of plates 15 and 16, respectively, may be conveniently affixed to the base plate adjacent the outer endv of the same, it being noted that these plates conveniently overlap the groove 11 so that the slide 12 is prevented from falling therefrom, irrespective of the angle of inclination of the base plate.

It vvill also be seen, that the plate is provided With an overlapping portion of gradually increasing Width, and it Will also be noted that a metallic member 17 is affixed to the slide 12, contacting with the over lapping portion of the'plate 16, along one of its edges, its apex being spaced from the outer edge of the overlapping portion of the plate 15. j

Thus it Will be appreciated that upon a projection ofthe slide 12, that the `gap existent between the apex of the metallic member y,17 and the outer edge of the plate 15 will be varied, and in this connection it Will be noted that the plate 15 may conveniently bear certain indicating means which vvill permit the operator to judge the quality of the vspark in accordance with the gap vvhlch it is capable of bridging.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that vitvvill be a simple matter for an operatorto Vbringthe` plates 15 and 16 in contactwith'the central terminal, and shell of asparksplug vrespectively, thus providing a circuit Whlch will contact With they ground and source A of current supply.

,will alto be .noted thatithe current Will be caused to pass through thetybase ofthe plate l16, this passage being permitted by means ofthe vmetallic member 17,' which, as aforestated, iscapable of being moved to permit of a ,varying of the width of the gap to lndicate the quality ofthe spark ktudinally movable.

and hence, as to Whether the parts are properly adjusted, and operating up to the highest eiiiciency ofvvhich they are capable.

In the forms illustrated in Figures 4 andY 5, it will be seen that the base plate 18 is provided upon Which the slide 19 is longi- Contrary, however, to the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, connection between the slide and base plate is established by means of'a slot 20, within vvhich a pin 21 aflixed to the slide 19 rides. Y Y

In this form, ka pair of plates are also shown, which plates serve as a guide for the slide, as Well as providinor the variable gap feature aforedescribed. DIt is also to be noted that in both of the forms illustrated, that an opening-22 is Vconveniently provided in the slide at a'point to the rear of, and in line with the apex of themetallicpmember 17. Y Y

This opening provides an air space which permits the jumping of the current across the gap. It will also be noted that the form illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 differs from that illustrated in vFigures 4c and 5, in that the plates 15 and 16 are extended, as has been indicated by the reference numeral 23, so that a suitable form of contact means for bearing against the shell,.. and terminal ofthe spark plug may be provided.

Thus, I have constructed a testing device', in the nature of-a marketable accessory, Which is extremely simple in con=f struction, and hence economical in this connection, and by meansof which trouble in the. ignition system may be intelligently lo'- cated atv the expenditure of a minimum` amount of time, and which finally maybe utilized by .a person Who Vis' notV an expert in this line.

Obviously numerous modifications of structure might readily be resorted to Withoutv in the least departing from the spirit of my invention, which I claim asv 1. A tester includ'ng a pair of metallic members spaced one from the other, one of ,Y

said members presenting an linc lined longitudinal edge adapted to coi-operate with thej second of said members, .and means forY moving said second member With respect to said first named member.

2; A tester, including` a 'body plate, slide longitudinally l movable upon saidl body plate, a metallic plate securedto said body plate, and a'metallic member secured to said slide, said metallicv plate, beingi of-varying one of said metallic plates contacting with the said member, the second of said Inetallic plates being of gradually increasing Width, said member being spaced from said last named plate.

4. A tester, including a body plate, a slide secured to said plate and longitudinally movable with respect thereto, a metallic member secured to said slide, a pair of metallic plates secured to said body plate, one

of said metallic plates contacting with the 10 said member, the second of said metallic plates being of gradually increasing Width, Said member being spaced from said last named platea said slide being formed with an opening 1n line with the space existent 15 between said member and the plate spaced therefrom.

WILLIAM PEDRICK COOK. 

